Using various manual and automated systems, whole blood is collected and separated into its clinical components (typically red blood cells, platelets, and plasma). The components are individually stored and used to treat a multiplicity of specific conditions and diseased states.
Before storing blood components for later transfusion, or before subjecting blood components to treatment such as pathogen inactivation, it is believed to be desirable to minimize the presence of impurities or other materials that may cause undesired side effects in the recipient. For example, because of possible reactions, it is generally considered desirable to reduce the number of leukocytes in blood components before storage, or at least before transfusion.
Filters are widely used to accomplish leuko-reduction in blood products today. Consequently, there is an on-going impetus to improve the construction, performance, and manufacturability of blood filters today.